


Carry On Wayward Son

by 88Madison88



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith’s dad loves records, Krolia (Voltron) Loves Her Son, Minor Character Death, Mother-Son Relationship, Season 6 Spoilers, cute moments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-05-29 17:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15077702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/88Madison88/pseuds/88Madison88
Summary: The first time Krolia heard this song, she was getting to know the man that would soon be the love of her life.The first time she sang this song, she was comforting her crying son.And now, mother and son have reunited and will continue to carry on.A deeper and more detailed look on how Krolia and Keith's father got to know one another, her role as a loving mother and what happened during the two years she and Keith had spent together in the quantum abyss.





	1. I Was Soaring Ever Higher

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello! Well, here's my second fic for Voltron: Legendary Defender!  
> Can we all agree that season 6 was incredible?! It's got to be my favourite season by far, especially the moments with Krolia and Keith. However, I wish we got to see more fluffy moments when it came to their mother-son relationship. That's why this fic now exists!  
> That and when I heard a cover of Carry On Wayward Son, I immediately thought of Krolia and Keith. I suggest listening to the original first before listening to the cover!  
> Also, I didn’t know what to name Keith’s Dad, so I immediately went with Jeremiah. I don’t know, it just kinda seemed to fit his character lol
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it!

Through the window, the moon shined brightly as the stars surrounding it gleamed with wondrous adventure. It made Krolia slightly ill that she had just barrelled through that beautiful sky, not knowing if she was going to survive her inevitable crash. But that’s what she signed up for when she joined the blades as a double agent. She could almost hear Kolivan’s words echoing in her mind. “Knowledge or death, Krolia.”

She understood that the mission came first, nothing was more important than protecting the Voltron lions from Zarkon and liberating the Galra Empire. However, it still hurt to know that she was nothing more than piece in this fucked up game of Chess; not necessarily a pawn, but she couldn’t really call herself the queen either. Thace and Ulaz were trying to help her understand that it wasn’t personal, that it was for the greater good, but they also understood where she was coming from.

Not wanting to think about the issue anymore, Krolia turned her attention away from the living room window and watched as Jeremiah packed up the first aid kit. The young man had just spent about two vargas (she didn’t know what the time terminology was on this planet) trying to speak to her as he cleaned her wounds. He had asked her what her name was, where she was from, if she was in trouble, and she had yet to utter one word. The only thing she did answer though was whether she could understand him, and even that was answered with just a slight nod.

It wasn’t his fault, he seemed nice enough. After all, he had saved her from certain death, took her into his own home and gave her much-needed medical attention; but she was stubborn when it came to trusting new people, especially those from a foreign planet. He could still be a threat. She had to play her cards right.

Regardless of Krolia’s silence, Jeremiah showed her a kind smile. “It’s alright, don’t push yourself. You can tell me what happened when you’re ready.”

Now, after taking the first aid kit back to the bathroom, the southerner was making his way over to a bunch of stacked crates filled with what seemed to be files. Krolia furrowed her brows in confusion.

Jeremiah took one out carefully and glanced over, only to see Krolia’s slight frown. With a hint of pride, he claimed. “Oh, these are my records. Been collecting them since I was just a boy.”

_‘Records?’_ Krolia thought with uncertainty. _‘Like information?’_

He walked over, his record in hand and sat down on the couch. “This band is my favourite.”

Krolia analyzed the cover, taking in the features of the people shown with what she assumed were instruments.

“Music.” She quietly noted.

If Krolia thought the man’s smile couldn’t have gotten any bigger she was immediately proven wrong; maybe it was because she finally said something.

“Yeah!” He beamed. “The band’s called ‘Kansas’. My old man showed them to me when I was around eight.”

Jeremiah watched as the young alien gently ran her violet fingers over the aged cover. He asked. “You wanna listen to it?”

Krolia peered up at him and nodded with slight hesitation. Jeremiah stood up from the couch and made his way over to the record player across the living room. Krolia examined his movements with an almost innocent kind of curiosity as he took the vinyl out of its protective sleeve and placed it on the record player. He set the needle down gently and soon, A cappella voices broke the silence.

 

Carry on my wayward son

For there’ll be peace when you are done

Lay your weary head to rest

Don’t you cry no more

 

Krolia wasn’t sure what it was that made her immediately love the song. Maybe it was the riveting guitar, drums and bass that filled her chest with fuzzy vibration. Maybe it was the lyrics, powerful vocals and the message to just keep moving forward. Or maybe it was the idea that she could see herself in this song. Whatever the reason was, it caused Krolia’s eyes to sparkle. Jeremiah noticed the look on her face when he turned back around.

“You like it?” He asked.

Krolia nodded and for the first time that night, showed a small smile. Jeremiah walked back over and sat down beside her, the two of them relaxed on the couch, listening to the entire album in peaceful silence.

When the needle came off the record, indicating that the album had finished, Krolia sat up suddenly and walked over to the record player. Jeremiah was slightly startled by the sudden movement but was quick to follow. “You wanna listen to it again?”

Krolia nodded and stated quietly, “The first song.”

Jeremiah chuckled fondly. “Yeah, that song’s their best one in my opinion. Any particular reason you like it?”

Krolia shrugged. “I just do.”

“Well, can’t argue with that.”

As he flipped the record back to the A side, Jeremiah glanced over to see Krolia watching him intently before she switched her gaze to the record.

Jeremiah smiled. “You wanna put it on?”

Krolia’s eyes widened and she nodded.

The Galra woman allowed Jeremiah to step behind her, holding the record in front of her. “Hold it carefully by the edges.” He quietly said.

She did as she was told, her fingers delicately holding the black disc. Heat travelled to her face as her hands brushed against Jeremiah’s and Krolia was thankful that he couldn’t see the blush dusting her cheeks.

His voice brought her back to the task at hand. “Now, see the little hole in the middle? Place the record down so this little nub,” he pointed to the rounded metal piece on the player. “Goes through the hole.”

Krolia gently placed the record on to the player, making sure that the metal piece went through the disc’s hole smoothly.

“Great,” Jeremiah smiled as he reached for her hand. “Now just—“

Krolia flinched with a slight gasp as he grabbed her hand. Her body tensed up.

Jeremiah’s smile vanished and he immediately took his hand away. He tilted his head forward so he could see the woman’s expression. “I’m sorry, I was just trying… aw shoot, I— I didn’t mean to frighten ya.”

Krolia stared at the man behind her and saw nothing but care in his eyes; he was genuinely sorry. She glanced at his hand and took it back, placing it over hers before switching her gaze back to his soft grey eyes. Jeremiah realized what she was indicating and he took a small breath, possibly of relief.

“Alright, so now what you’re gonna do is take the needle,” He guided Krolia’s hand over to the needle and placed it down gently. “And put it at the edge of the record.”

As Jeremiah maneuvered the needle to the record, Krolia watched as they both laid the needle down into the grooves of the vinyl. Soon the music began to play again.

“Ya did it.” Jeremiah said, feeling proud of his new house guest. She turned to him, her smile the biggest it had ever been since she got here.

“Yeah.” She beamed.

As Jeremiah pivoted his foot to walk back to the couch, Krolia quietly hesitated. “Jeremiah?” Said man switched his attention back to Krolia. If he was surprised that she finally spoke his name, he didn’t let it show. “Yes?”

Though the Galra woman still held herself with a strong reserve, she allowed slight tenderness to show in her voice. “Thank-you. For everything.”

Jeremiah felt his heart skip a beat and his face grew warm when Krolia grinned softly. His mind immediately told him. _‘She’s something special.’_

Jeremiah cleared his throat to excuse the seconds of silence. “N-no problem. I was just there at the right place at the right time.”

Krolia swiftly walked back over to the couch, where Jeremiah followed. They both sat down, feeling calm and content; it was as if the music flowed through them.

When the song began to fade out, the alien woman spoke up. “O-oh, and it’s Krolia, by the way.”

“Hm?”

“My name. My name is Krolia.”


	2. Don't You Cry No More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyy, here's chapter 2! I didn't think I would get it done by this week, but I'm so happy I did.  
> However, because I'm leaving the country in a few days I won't be able to update this story until I get back.  
> This chapter is very fluffy, but I promise there will be angst!  
> Enjoy!

One Year Later:

The sound of crying echoed through the house, waking both adults up from their short-lived slumber. Jeremiah groaned and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. However when he was about to sit up, a hand gently rested against his shoulder. “Go back to sleep, Jere.” Krolia whispered. “You took care of the last one.”

“You sure, hun?”

Krolia hummed in affirmation before she got out of bed, putting her robe on as she made her way to the wooden crib across the room. She reached into the crib, caressing the baby’s hair and cooed gently. “Shhhh… it’s okay.”

Lifting her son up, she brought him close to her chest. Krolia swayed back and forth, shushing the infant every so often as he cried. “I’ve got you, Keith. Mommy’s here.” It seemed to help Keith calm down a little, but his crying didn’t stop completely. When Keith was first born, he wasn’t very fussy during the night. He would cry whenever he needed to be fed or changed, but he had just been fed an hour ago and his diaper wasn’t heavy. Krolia did everything she could to settle her son down, but he continued to fuss.

As of recent, Keith had been crying more often than usual, to the point where it affected his eating and sleeping patterns. Unfortunately, when he was taken to the doctor, his fits were was written off as being normal. It worried Krolia and Jeremiah, because they weren’t necessarily dealing with a normal baby; Keith was a Galra-Human hybrid.

When Kolivan had sent Vrek to Earth to help deliver the baby, she had said she wasn’t sure if either Krolia or the infant were going to survive. She had helped deliver other Galra hybrids in her past but she knew very little about human genetics and their affect on Galra genes. She had a right to be concerned. On top of the nine-month pregnancy and the delivery being difficult for Krolia, Keith was born underweight, his hormone levels were slightly off and his DNA sported some irregularities (by human and Galra standards). Despite all odds though, Vrek was able to confirm a few days later that both mother and baby were perfectly healthy. Before she left, she assured Krolia and Jeremiah that because Keith’s Galra genetics were recessive, he shouldn’t have any trouble regarding his physical health and will continue to appear human. Even though her baby had been confirmed by doctors (both human and Galra) to be healthy and reaching all of his milestones, Krolia still had irrational thoughts of ‘what if.’

Krolia sighed and walked over to the rocking chair in the corner of the room. She sat herself down gently, cradling her boy in her arms. It was going to be a long night. “Shhhh… I know sweetie.” She hushed. “Don’t you cry, no more.” Realizing that she had just whispered lyrics from her favourite song, an idea began to brew in her head. She gradually started to rock the chair back and forth in a slow, soothing motion.

Carry on my wayward son

For there’ll be peace when you are done

Lay your weary head to rest

Don’t you cry no more

Krolia’s voice was a polar opposite to the original. Her voice was soft and quiet, unlike the epic, harmonious voices belonging to Kansas. However, it seemed to be working. Keith’s cries had turned into small whimpers, so Krolia continued to sing.

Once I rose above the noise and confusion

Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion

I was soaring ever higher

But I flew too high

Krolia brushed Keith’s hair back tenderly, his whimpers becoming nonexistent. He was now staring at his mother with innocent curiosity, just like she had the first time she had heard this song. Krolia laughed a little as she proceeded with the next verse.

Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man

Though my mind could think I still was a mad man

I hear the voices when I’m dreaming

I can hear them say

Keith let out a small yawn as he was lulled back into a gentle slumber, his curious eyes growing heavy. Krolia felt her heart flutter in her chest, proud of herself and relieved that her baby was finally getting his much-needed sleep.

Carry on my wayward son

For there’ll be peace when you are done

Lay your weary head to rest

Don’t you cry no more

By the end of the chorus, Keith’s eyes were closed and his breathing had evened out. Krolia smiled lovingly at her son and kissed his forehead, whispering. “Sleep on, little star.”

As she continued to watch her son sleep, Krolia felt like they were the only two people in the room; that is, until she heard someone mumble. “I never knew you had such a beautiful singing voice.”

Krolia’s eyes met with her lover’s, a smirk crossing his features. He was sitting up slightly, his chin resting against his hand. “How come it took a year and having a kid to finally hear the voice of an angel?”

Krolia rolled her eyes playfully, sporting a light smirk of her own. “‘Cause you sing enough for the both of us.”

She stood up carefully from the rocking chair and placed Keith back in his crib. Jeremiah got out of bed and walked over to where mother stood and baby slept. He hugged Krolia from behind and kissed the back of her neck softly, to which she smiled and leaned against his chest. Her smile began to gradually fade. “Do you think that really helped him?” Krolia questioned doubtfully.

Jeremiah chuckled, his arms slightly tightening around his lover’s waist. “Of course. For the past few weeks he was strugglin’ to sleep and now look at him. Out like a light.”

“So, you think he’s okay?”

Jeremiah turned Krolia so she was facing him and caressed her cheek. “You still worried?”

Krolia shrugged and said hesitantly. “I— I don’t know. Everyone we’ve spoken to has told us that he’s in perfect health. But what if…” Jeremiah patiently waited for Krolia, stroking her cheek with his the pad of his thumb until she was able to find her voice again. “What if it’s something I’m doing?”

Jeremiah sighed empathetically and hugged Krolia. He whispered. “I know we’re both new at this, and we ain’t gonna have all the answers. But the only thing we can do is make sure our boy is happy, healthy and safe, and so far I think we’ve done a good job of doin’ that.” He pulled back from the hug slightly to look Krolia in the eye. “Especially you, Lia. I know you would go to the furthest edge of the galaxy and beyond if it meant keeping Keith safe.” 

Krolia gave Jeremiah a watery smile, her eyes glazing with tears. He returned it with his own gentle smirk and teased lightly. “Don’t you go crying too, now. I don’t have the magical power of stopping tears with my voice like you do.”

Krolia let a small laugh escape from her lips and she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “You’re a dork.”

“But I’m your dork.” The two smiled at one another affectionately and both leaned in, sharing a kiss filled with absolute warmth and devotion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kudos by the way, you have no idea how much they mean to me! I really hope you've been enjoying the story so far and I can't wait to write more for you!
> 
> If you ever wanna talk Voltron with me, you can find me on Tumblr and Twitter as @88madison88


	3. And If I Claim To Be A Wise Man, It Surely Means I Don’t Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait, I got back from my vacation a few weeks ago, but I had to have surgery right after I got back so I didn't have the chance to really update. I'm fine now though! Nothing to worry about!  
> This chapter is basically a look into how Krolia and Keith felt during their time together starting from S6 E2, flashback (in italics) and all! I did promise angst after all; there's a little fluff in there too though!  
> Also, I found a cover Carry On that reminded me of Keith actually singing, especially if it's pitched up a little. It's covered by Norm Strauss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9xsiKZUK-U  
> Enjoyyyyy!

17 years later:

_“You’re my… You’re my mom?”_

Never in a million years did Krolia think she would ever see Keith again, fully grown and following in her footsteps as a Blade. When she first laid her eyes on him, she wanted to embrace him immediately and apologize for leaving him and his father. She wanted to scream at him for choosing a path that constantly put himself in danger. Most of all, she wanted to take him home so they could be a family and she could finally get to know her son. 

It broke her heart when Keith asked desperately. _“How are you so sure?”_

A Few Days Earlier:

_“I’m sure.” She answered, making sure she sounded like the calm and level-headed agent Kolivan trained her to be. However, it took everything not to break her composure. “This isn’t how I hoped to meet you again, and this isn’t how I wanted to tell you… but it’s the truth.”_

_Krolia wanted nothing more than to continue talking to Keith and explain everything to him, but now wasn’t the time. They weren’t safe. They needed to keep moving forward so they could get to the quantum abyss and complete the mission before anyone else got their hands on that powerful quintessence._

_“We can talk about this later.” She concluded._

_Keith was obviously not happy with that answer, but relented when Krolia reminded him that there were more pressing matters at hand. She knew that it hurt him, to say who she was but not explain; she was basically dangling precious information in front of him, only to rip it away from him once again._

‘It’s cruel.’ _Her mind screamed_. ‘How can you be so cold to your own child? You want to reconnect just as much as he does, and instead of giving him the explanation he deserves, you’re hurting him even more by keeping him in the dark.’

_Krolia closed her eyes, shutting her thoughts out. When she opened them, her head now focused on the task at hand: explaining the mission._

_However, explaining what they were going to do was a lot easier than actually following through with their plan. Little did the mother-and-son duo know that their chance of reconnecting with each other was greater than they thought._

~*~

_When they continued on with the mission, they made it to the ship drop-offs edging around the dark stars. However, they were attacked and had to abandon ship, their cruiser pulled into the field and destroyed. No longer containing the map to reach the quantum abyss, Krolia and Keith began travelling by foot, hopping from astroid to astroid until they were hit by a harsh tremor._

_“What’s going on?” Keith grunted._

_Suddenly, one of the dark stars in the distance let out a giant sound that was the equivalent of an explosion, causing Keith and Krolia to fall their knees. A blinding gold light appeared and began to envelop everything in its path. Before they could both be hit by the light, Krolia moved from her position to kneel in front of Keith, shielding him protectively in a hug._ ‘I’ve got you.’

_As they continued on, they experienced more and more flashbacks, allowing Keith to learn more about his mother’s past. But this wasn’t how Krolia wanted Keith to find out. He saw what happened after her ship crashed, how his father saved her life and how they came together to not only protect the blue lion, but to also start a new life as a couple. Unfortunately, their happy life together didn’t last long._

_Keith saw his parents being attacked by the Galra, his father almost dying and his mother’s attempted capture. They both survived the attack, thankfully, but that didn’t stop Krolia from deciding she had to infiltrate the Galra from the inside. With misty eyes and a lump in his throat, Keith watched on as his mother said goodbye, leaving nothing but a kiss and her blade for her baby. His heart wrenched painfully when he saw his dad stare at her ship leaving the atmosphere, the red light growing dimmer and dimmer in the distance before the memory faded all together._

_“I finally understand why you left.”_

_Krolia felt her heart jump. Did he really understand? Or—_

_“You put the mission above all else.”_

_Her heart sank. Keith really believed that she left him because the mission was more important than having a life together. What made him believe that? Was it Kolivan’s ‘Knowledge or Death,’ philosophy? More than likely. But Keith’s statement was said with such clarity, like he had this thought in the back of his mind for years and he suddenly experienced some kind of epiphany. Did Jeremiah, the love of her life, really tell their child that she just got up and left for no reason? She refused to believe that. Jeremiah was not that kind of person._

_“That’s not true.” Krolia stated, self-assured. “I left to protect the person I most love.” With confidence she turned to her son, pouring all the love she felt for him into one word. “You.”_

_The soon-to-be bonding moment went interrupted though when the duo discovered creatures that could only described as ‘space whales,’ passing by. It wasn’t long before Krolia and Keith found themselves on one of the creatures’ backs, hoping that it would lead them to the quantum abyss._

_~*~_

It had been a few emotional days to say the least and there was an obvious strain on the pair’s relationship, despite Krolia's attempt to show Keith affection. They had barely spoken to one another about anything other than the mission as the explored their new surroundings. However, things started to look up. They had saved a cosmic wolf pup after it crashed into the atmosphere and was almost attacked by bug-like beasts. Keith refused to leave the wolf’s side and eventually earned the animal’s trust. So not only did they have dinner for a solid month, but they also had a new companion.

When the three finally found a small hillside cave, they decided that it was the best place to set up camp. Now that Krolia and Keith were in a somewhat safe and hidden area, they allowed themselves to relax. They didn’t speak a word to one another and while they would usually be okay with the silence, it left them feeling slightly awkward and on edge. That is, until Krolia rose to her feet.

“It’s getting dark,” She stated. “I’m going to go find some firewood.”

“Do you need help?”  Keith asked quietly, refusing to look her in the eye. 

“No, it’s okay. I shouldn’t be too long.”

When Krolia turned to leave, Keith asked, almost earnestly. “Promise?”

Krolia focused her eyes on the boy before walking back over to him. She knelt in front of him and quietly said, “Keith, look at me.”

When he did as he was told, he saw warmth in Krolia’s violet eyes, something he wasn’t used to seeing. “When we were held hostage by Trugg, I promised I would never leave you again.” She gently placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. “And nothing is going to stop me from keeping that promise. I’ll be back soon.”

Keith let out a shaky breath and, not trusting his voice, gave a small nod and a slight smile.

~*~

When Krolia returned from getting the firewood, she was just coming to the mouth of the cave when she heard hushed singing. She gasped quietly as the familiar tune and lyrics.

Masquerading as a man with a reason

My charade is the event of the season

And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means I don’t know

Keith’s voice was a very smooth, tenor sound, but he had a voice crack that added a raw edge to his singing. It reminded Krolia all too much of Jeremiah. She peaked in and saw that their wolf pup had moved from his original spot and was curled into a ball, pressed into Keith’s side. He was petting the comic canine’s blue fur affectionately.

On a stormy sea of moving emotion

Tossed about I’m like a ship on the ocean

I set a course for winds of fortune, but I hear the voices say

Before he could continue, he looked up and saw Krolia standing there with the wood and his breath caught in his throat. The boy blushed in embarrassment and looked at the ground. “How long were you standing there?”

Noticing the pink dusting her son’s cheeks, Krolia decided not to comment on his singing and merely said as she walked in. “I just got back.”  Keith didn’t believe her but appreciated the attempt to save his ego.

As she got a fire going, Krolia glanced at the pup snuggling beside Keith and smiled fondly. “He’s really taken a liking to you.” 

“Yeah,” Keith said, scratching behind the wolf’s ears lovingly.

“Have you thought of a name for him?”

Keith switched his gaze from the sleeping animal to Krolia and showed a slight smirk. “What about Yorak?”

Krolia laughed a little. “I like that. Yorak Kogane.”

Keith let out a small laugh of his own, smiling at Yorak, who was now awake. Yorak stood from his spot and stretched before trotting over to one of the beasts Krolia had killed. He began to sniff and nibble at it.

“I think he’s hungry.” Keith assumed, before his own stomach made a sudden gurgling noise. His eyes widened and his face flushed again in embarrassment.

Krolia laughed again, showing a gentle smirk. “Dinner time.”

**Author's Note:**

> The song is called Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas  
> Here are the covers that inspired this fic!   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kf8a3vcjUc  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9xsiKZUK-U
> 
> Also, I'm currently working on a picture that will go with this fic, so be sure to watch out for it! 
> 
> Tumblr: @88madison88  
> Insta: @88madison88


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